In order to record high data rates in optical data storage, multi-channel recording can be used. The existing multi-channel (also known as multi-spot) systems use a laser diode array in which many laser diodes are assembled on a common substrate and their output collected by a single collimating lens. Due to the limited field coverage of high numerical apperature lenses, these arrays can only cover a small width which limits the number of laser diodes which can be used or requires spacings too small to be practical. The current invention overcomes this limitation by combining a large number of discrete laser diodes, each one with its own collimating lens.